Picture framed antenna

ABSTRACT

A television antenna adapted for indoor use which is maintained obscured by serving as the backing member for a picture frame and picture which antenna includes a thin rigid dielectric circuit board having a circuit pattern thereon approximating a dipole antenna. The television antenna wire serves to position a backing easel to properly incline the antenna for maximum reception. Antenna extensions from the main antenna are provided to adjust the electrical length of the antenna in poor reception conditions. In another embodiment, a folded dipole antenna is provided by means of three circuit boards disposed in three hinged picture frames forming a horizontal array in which the antenna pattern on the circuit boards is made electrically continuous through connections in the hinges of the picture frames.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Warren E. Neilson 255 E. Wendy Way, King of Prussia, Pa.

19406 [21 Appl. No. 759,423 [22] Filed Sept. 12, 1968 [45] Patented June 22, 1971 [54] PICTURE FRAMED ANTENNA 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. CL 343/720, 343/806, 343/915 [51] lnt.Cl H01q 1/00 [50] Field of Search 343/720, 806,915 702,856

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,128,554 8/1938 Baylis 343/720 X 2,614,220 10/1952 Doerner 343/720 X 2,821,710 1/1958 Hale 343/720X 2,875,441 2/1959 McGrane 343/806 3,261,019 7/1966 Lundy 3,049,711 8/1962 Hooper Primary Examiner-Herman Karl Saalbach Assistant Examiner-Saxfield C hatmon, Jr. Attorney-Charles F. Duffield ABSTRACT: A television antenna adapted for indoor use which is maintained obscured by serving as the backing member for a picture frame and picture which antenna includes a thin rigid dielectric circuit board having a circuit pattern thereon approximating a dipole antenna. The television antenna wire serves to position a backing easel to properly incline the antenna for maximum reception. Antenna extensions from the main antenna are provided to adjust the electrical length of the antenna in poor reception conditions. In another embodiment, a folded dipole antenna is provided by means of three circuit boards disposed in three hinged picture frames forming a horizontal array in which the antenna pattern on the circuit boards is made electrically continuous through connections in the hinges of the picture frames.

PATENTEU JUN22 19m INVENTOR. Warren E. Neilson ATTORNEY.

PICTURE FRAMED ANTENNA Summary and Objects of Invention This invention relates, in general, to television antennas and, more specifically, to an indoor antenna which replaces the built-in antenna in the television set to provide improved reception for VHF, UHF and FM signals while at the same time being obscured behind a decorative picture frame.

Indoor antennas are generally found in two categories, i.e., the built-in antenna and the conventional rabbit ears". The built-in antennas are unsatisfactory, in many cases, in that they are physically secured to the cabinet of the television or FM set and consequently cannot'be orientated in respect to the transmission station to optimize the reception of the signals.

The conventional rabbit ears," while capable of being orientated with respect to the transmission station, are undesirable due to their rather ungainly appearance.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a television and FM radio antenna which combines both the advantages of the obscurity of a built-in antenna and, as well, the flexibility of orientation capable in the conventional rabbit ears."

The foregoing object is carried out in the present invention by means of an antenna which is formed of a thin rigid dielectric circuit board cut to the dimensions of the backing board of a standard picture frame and upon which is disposed a circuit pattern approximating a dipole antenna. The antenna may be inserted in the place of a backing of a standard picture frame and thus will be obscured from view while at the same time the antenna may be orientated with respect to the transmitting station by rotating and inclining the picture frame.

The improved reception capabilities of the folded dipole antenna are also taken advantage of in accordance with the present invention by providing a plurality of antenna backing boards which, when assembled in an array of horizontally hinged picture frames, will provide a folded dipole antenna.

Individual antenna boards inserted into the back of each of the adjacent frames are made electrically conductive, one to another, through the hinges of the picture frames.

These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the drawings and detailed description thereof which follow.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partially'exploded perspective view of the antenna of the present invention associated with a standard picture frame.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rear portion of the picture framed antenna of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded and perspective view of the folded dipole antenna according to the present invention, and

FIG. 4 is a partial side view showing the electrical connectors between adjacent circuit boards in the antenna of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION The antenna of the present invention is shown in FIG. I of the drawings. A thin rigid dielectric circuit board It) is employed. A pair of circuit elements ll are disposed on the board and approximate a dipole antenna. The circuit elements on the circuit board may be formed by the printed circuit board method or by the etched circuit board method.

The lower end of each of the circuit elements ll terminates at terminals 12 which pass to the back portion of the circuit board 10. An antenna lead-in wire 13 is secured to the terminals 12 in a conventional manner.

Each circuit pattern 11 on the circuit board is zigzagged in opposing directions for a length of 36 inches to provide the approximate one-fourth wavelength required of VHF reception. In this manner, the required electrical length may be obtained while maintaining the length and width of the circuit board 10 to that within a standard picture frame.

A second pair of circuit elements 14 disposed on the lower end of the circuit board 10 provide for UHF reception. Each of these patterns are likewise zigzagged for a length of 15 inches to provide the approximate one-fourth dipole antenna length necessary for UHF reception. A similar antenna lead-in is connected to terminals 16 of the UHF dipole.

The circuit board 10 is of length and width equal to the backing board of a standard picture frame. i.e., 9"Xl 2". The circuit board and included antenna may then be inserted into the back of a standard picture frame 17. Such a picture frame would include the glass 18 and a decorative picture 19 behind the glass. Once the circuit board is in place, it retains the glass and picture in place within the frame and the antenna is, itself, completely obscured.

As shown in FIG. 2, the circuit board 10 includes an easel 19 secured thereto at a hinged point 20. The angular relationship between the easel and the circuit board I0 is maintained by the antenna lead-in wires 13 and 15. Two apertures 22 and 23 are provided in the bottom edge of the easel for the two lead-in wires 13 and 15. Associated with each of the apertures are slots 24 and 25. The slots are of width sufficient that the flat lead-in wires may be turned on their edge and inserted into the apertures which are of a diameter slightly less than the width of the lead-in wires and provide a friction fit.

The angular relationship of the easel may be fixed by sliding the lead-in wires in the apertures to the desired position. Once so adjusted, the frictional contact of the lead-in wires with the apertures will maintain the easel in place. This arrangement permits the television antenna to be both inclined to the proper angular relationship as well as rotated to position the antenna for maximum signal reception.

In cases where the signal reception in the area in which the antenna is being used is poor, antenna extensions 26 may be employed. These extensions'are swivally connected to the upper ends of each of the circuit elements 1 1. They may be, in normal use, folded out of sight behind the picture antenna. However, during periods of low signal strength and especially during viewing of the lower VI-IF frequencies, the extensions may be unfolded to the degree necessary to electrically tune the antenna to a given frequency Another embodiment of television antenna according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 3. In this embodiment of antenna, the signal receiving capabilities of a folded dipole are taken advantage of. Folded dipoles for VHF reception. are too large to utilize exposed indoors. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the utilization of a folded dipole in an obscured manner is made possible. The antenna employs a plurality of smaller picture frames 30 each joined one to another, at their adjacent edges, into a horizontal array by hinges 31.

Printed circuit boards 32, 33, and 34 are employed in respect to each of the picture frames 30 as the backing member thereof as in the case of the framed antenna of FIG. 1. The circuit boards 3234l include thereon circuit elements 3537. The circuit elements on the respective boards are such that, when the boards are placed in horizontal alignment one with another, they approximate a folded dipole.

When the circuit boards 32-34 are inserted in place behind the picture and glass of the frames 30, the circuit elements 35-37 thereon are made electrically continuous by means of a connector operating through the hinges as shown in FIG 4.

Each of the circuit boards 32-34 includes a spring contact 38 which is secured at one end in electrical contact with the circuit element on the board.

Each hinge part 39 is formed of an electrically conductive material and is secured to the frame 30 by means of electrically conductive fastening means 40. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the fastening means 40 are preferably smooth round head rivets.

As the circuit boards are slid into place in the frames, the contacts 33 engage the fastening means 40 and thus complete the circuit between the adjacent circuit boards through the hinges 39. I

The folded dipole antenna of FIGS. 3 and 4 may be orientated with respect to the transmitting station both in the angle which the antenna faces the station and, as well, by folding the outside frames inwardly or outwardly to obtain the best signal reception.

The framed antennas of the present invention provide an effective antenna which may be orientated for maximum reception while at the same time are decorative and ornamental.

The present invention has been described in respect to particular embodiments thereof shown in the drawings. However, no limitation is thereby intended but the scope of the invention is to be ascertained from the following claims.

lclaim:

1. A television antenna adapted to be positioned and used in an obscured manner in conjunction with a decorative picture frame and picture comprising:

a thin rigid dielectric circuit board cut to the dimension of the backing board of a standard picture frame,

a circuit pattern disposed on the said circuit board approximating a dipole antenna,

terminal connections at the centerpoint of said dipole antenna to provide the output to a two lead antenna wire for the television set, and

a collapsible antenna extension attached to each of said circuit elements on the circuit board on the upper end thereof whereby the backing board of the standard picture frame may be replaced with the television antenna to provide an antenna which is obscured while in use, but which provides a decorative addition in which the electrical length of the dipole antenna may be adjusted in poor reception conditions.

2. A television antenna adapted to be positioned and used in an obscured manner in conjunction with a decorative picture frame and picture comprising;

a thin rigid dielectric circuit board cut to the dimension of the backing board ofa standard picture frame,

a circuit pattern disposed on the circuit board approximating a dipole antenna,

terminal connections at the centerpoint of the dipole antenna to provide the output to a two wire antenna lead,

a two wire antenna lead electrically connected at one end to the terminal connections and the other end thereof providing the input for a television set,

an easel backing member pivotally attached at one end to the circuit board, and

easel adjusting means interconnected between the easel and the circuit board whereby the backing board of a standard picture frame may be replaced with the circuit board to provide an antenna which is obscured while in use and which may be positioned for best reception by adjustment of the easel backing member and rotation of the entire picture frame. 

1. A television antenna adapted to be positioned and used in an obscured manner in conjunction with a decorative picture frame and picture comprising: a thin rigid dielectric circuit board cut to the dimension of the backing board of a standard picture frame, a circuit pattern disposed on the said circuit board approximating a dipole antenna, terminal connections at the centerpoint of said dipole antenna to provide the output to a two lead antenna wire for the television set, and a collapsible antenna extension attached to each of said circuit elements on the circuit board on the upper end thereof whereby the backing board of the standard picture frame may be replaced with the television antenna to provide an antenna which is obscured while in use, but which provides a decorative addition in which the electrical length of the dipole antenna may be adjusted in poor reception conditions.
 2. A television antenna adapted to be positioned and used in an obscured manner in conjunction with a decorative picture frame and picture comprising; a thin rigid dielectric circuit board cut to the dimension of the backing board of a standard picture frame, a circuit pattern disposed on the circuit board approximating a dipole antenna, terminal connections at the centerpoint of the dipole antenna to provide the output to a two wire antenna lead, a two wire antenna lead electrically connected at one end to the terminal connections and the other end thereof providing the input for a television set, an easel backing member pivotally attached at one end to the circuit board, and easel adjusting means interconnected between the easel and the circuit board whereby the backing board of a standard picture frame may be replaced with the circuit board to provide an antenna which is obscured while in use and Which may be positioned for best reception by adjustment of the easel backing member and rotation of the entire picture frame. 